California teens to get online "eraser button"

Chimpie

Well-known member
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/24/teens-online-eraser-button-california_n_3976808.html

California teens get an online "eraser button" under a law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday.

The law makes California the first state to require websites to allow people younger than 18 to remove their own postings on that website, and to clearly inform minors how to do so.

"Kids and teens frequently self-reveal before they self-reflect," Jim Steyer, CEO of Common Sense Media, told The Huffington Post. "In today's digital age, mistakes can stay with and haunt kids for their entire life. This bill is a big step forward for privacy rights, especially since California has more tech companies than any other state."

This is supposed to take effect in 2015. Will you have to make any changes to your forum?

Also, something interesting to think about... (from the article)

Websites will not be required to delete re-postings by a third party of the minor's original post.

So I guess quoted posts will be allowed to stay.

Thoughts?
 
If you are not in California and the server is not in California how are they going to enforce the law? I don't see as any different then the UK law that a forum has to delete a user if they request it; I don't live there and my server is not there.
 
If you are not in California and the server is not in California how are they going to enforce the law? I don't see as any different then the UK law that a forum has to delete a user if they request it; I don't live there and my server is not there.
Give it a while.... If it starts in 1 place is usually doesn't stick to just 1 place. Crazy laws like this spread as if they were a virus of some sort.
 
Also, something interesting to think about... (from the article)

Websites will not be required to delete re-postings by a third party of the minor's original post.

So I guess quoted posts will be allowed to stay.

Thoughts?

I suspect that deletion rights would mostly be exercised on conspicuous, and hence syndicated content which falls squarely under the jurisdiction of this massive donut hole in the legislation.

This law basically allows minors the right to lock the barn after the horse has escaped. The mistake is not realized until after the horse has escaped at which point it's too late.

I think we should focus on counseling children on how to deal with their inevitable mistakes rather than giving them a means to ineffectively place the burden of responsibility on some one else.
 
As part of our DMCA Statement, we have written:
General Copyright Statement:

Most of the sourced material posted to EMTLife is posted according to the "fair use" doctrine of copyright law for non-commercial news reporting, education and discussion purposes. We comply with all takedown requests, with the exception of: A copyright owner cannot file a DMCA takedown notice if the infringing material was posted by them, as stated in our Privacy Statement.

Therefore, if the member creates a post, we will not remove it just because they ask.

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I think we should focus on counseling children on how to deal with their inevitable mistakes rather than giving them a means to ineffectively place the burden of responsibility on some one else.

This. Off topic: Is this being taught in schools? And if so, in which classes?

I'd sooner closer the board to minors. ...

We currently restrict our community (www.emtlife.com) to those 13 and older, and have thought about raising the age to 18. We're watching to see how this progresses, and are ready to raise the age if needed. The question then is raised, what to do with our current members who are under the age of 18?
 
Well, technically speaking if you say that you have to be 18 to view this page, it is up to the underage person to not be a liar or not to take your rules seriously and then fake their age when signing up. Later on down the road if their parents want to make a stink...ultimately their kids lied to gain access so their problem really started before the internet or a website and that problem is clearly based on trust between child and parent and parent is looking for a whipping boy...

Now I am all for protecting kids and I can see removing or editing a post wisely when need be done but there is no way someone can force me to make a system to validate if a child is making believe they are 18 and there is no way for me to prove someone is not lying about who they are so if I put you must 18 to sign up and they lie, there is no content they post which is not personally identifying, threatening or in the insinuation of violence which I am compelled to modify or allow for modifying in any way if I so choose. If a parent were to identify themselves properly to me and request me to make it difficult or ban the child then I would do so but other than that I have no way of knowing and really don't have the time to worry about it.

If you want your kids to not visit specific sites it is your responsibility to teach them that or restrict their access if that's what you want to do. You teach your kids to look both ways if they have to cross the road, you don't teach them that mommy and daddy will stop traffic so you can play street hockey at your leisure in the road. Bottom line: raise your kids.

What a waste of legislation.
 
I'd sooner closer the board to minors.

California residents must be 18 or older to use this site because you live in a commie nanny state.

Do you know how many people would be pissed off by that?

The annoying thing is, I'm not sure whether you were being sarcastic or not...

Anyhow, doesn't concern me. Moving along...
 
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I think we should focus on counseling children on how to deal with their inevitable mistakes rather than giving them a means to ineffectively place the burden of responsibility on some one else.

This. Off topic: Is this being taught in schools? And if so, in which classes?

There is no formal place to learn personal responsibility. It is usually taught by parents if at all.
 
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